The Town Files

Mammoth Lakes, California

Town in Mono County · population 7,191 (2020 Census)

Map: where Mammoth Lakes is in CaliforniaMammoth Lakes
Median home
$866,700
Household income
$98,056
Jan low / Jul high
17° / 78°
Snow a year
70 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
41.3

Mammoth Lakes is a town of 7,191 people in Mono County, California. The median home is worth $866,700, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for young professionals than 93% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 92% of California towns, better transit than 86% of California towns.

Mammoth Lakes in our rankings:

How Mammoth Lakes ranks

Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.

Mammoth Lakes lifestyle rankings vs other California townsRetirement54th pctFamilies12th pctQuiet73rd pctWalkability20th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals93rd pctVibrancy46th pctHip & trendy50th pctCollege town7th pctUpscale54th pctVacation homes92nd pctSeaside characterbottomCycling84th pctTransit86th pctDriving13th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Mammoth Lakes is worth $866,700, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.8 times the median household income of $98,056, which is more affordable than 18% of California towns. Median rent is $1,645 a month. 55.6% of households own their home.

Mammoth Lakes vs Mono County vs typical California townMammoth LakesMono CountyTypical California townHome value$866,700$639,400$596,900Household income$98,056$99,415$91,557Monthly rent$1,645$1,629$1,827
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of California towns with 500+ people.
HousingMammoth LakesTypical California town
Median home value$866,700$596,900
Median rent$1,645$1,827
Median household income$98,056$91,557
Home value ÷ income8.8×6.4×
Homeownership55.6%67.4%
Median year built19801977
Seasonal / vacation homes57.3%—

Who lives in Mammoth Lakes

PeopleMammoth LakesTypical California town
Median age41.340.2
Age 65 and over15.2%17.7%
Under 1816.2%—
Bachelor's degree or higher24.2%27.7%
Below the poverty line6.1%10.3%
Veterans2.4%—
Born outside the U.S.18.5%—
Work from home14.1%13.4%
Average commute14.8 min27.5 min
Homes with broadband91.7%93.3%

Weather in Mammoth Lakes

July highs average 77.8°F and January lows 16.6°F. About 23.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 69.5 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 210 nights at or below freezing.

Mammoth Lakes monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing41°17°Jan41°18°Feb46°22°Mar51°27°Apr60°35°May70°42°Jun78°49°Jul77°47°Aug71°40°Sep61°30°Oct49°23°Nov41°17°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue4.219.03.816.13.311.61.53.31.51.60.50.20.50.50.51.41.42.04.74.111.6
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Mammoth Lakes Rs station (2.2 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 1 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Mammoth Lakes since 1950.

Severe weather in Mono County since 1996

Storm events in Mono County since 1996 by typeHail10Flood14Wildfire6Avalanche9High Wind347Heavy Rain71Heavy Snow321Debris Flow21
NOAA Storm Events Database, Mono County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 8 deaths recorded.

Mono County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 3, 2023Severe StormDR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
March 10, 2023FloodEM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
January 9, 2023FloodEM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides
March 22, 2020BiologicalDR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3428: Covid-19

Jobs and pay in Mono County

Mono County had 8,150 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,503 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Mammoth Lakes itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.

Largest industries in Mono CountyHotels & restaurants3,772 jobs · $40,388Retail550 jobs · $42,779Construction477 jobs · $64,709Real estate375 jobs · $50,048Administrative & support262 jobs · $43,319Other services206 jobs · $44,648
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Mono County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%2000200420082012201620202023Mono 3.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Mammoth Lakes

7 public schools with 1,125 students, about 18.4 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Mammoth ElementaryK-553221.3
Mammoth High9-1235116.0
Mammoth Middle6-822717.5
Jan Work Community7-1213—
Sierra High (Continuation)10-1222.0
Mono County Office of Education Inclusive PreschoolOther——
MCOE State PreschoolsOther——

Mammoth Lakes questions

Is Mammoth Lakes, California a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mammoth Lakes scores better for retirees than 54% of California towns and quieter than 73%. 15.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.3).

How much does a house cost in Mammoth Lakes?

The median owner-occupied home in Mammoth Lakes is valued at $866,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $98,056, so homes cost about 8.8 times income. Median rent is $1,645 a month.

What is the weather like in Mammoth Lakes?

July highs average 77.8°F and January lows 16.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 23.7 inches of precipitation a year and 69.5 inches of snow.

Does Mammoth Lakes get tornadoes?

No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Mammoth Lakes in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Mammoth Lakes's Census boundary (GEOID 0645358). Comparisons use the median of California towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.